STAND. COM. REP. NO.  734-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   S.B. No. 2571

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2571, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to improve the accountability of Hawaii's public education system by requiring the members of the Board of Education (BOE), except for the student member, to be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, from pools of qualified candidates presented to the Governor by the BOE Candidate Nomination Commission.  This bill requires the Hawaii State Student Council to elect the student member, and also authorizes the student member to vote on certain BOE matters.

     The Hawaii Association of Independent Schools, Hawaii Business Roundtable, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  Hawaii's Children First supported the intent of this measure.  BOE opposed this bill.  The Governor's Administration; Hawaii State Teachers Association; and Hawaii Government Employees' Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by replacing its contents with the language of H.B. No. 2377, H.D. 3.  As amended, this bill, among other things, requires the members of BOE, including the student member, to be nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appointed by the Governor from lists of qualified candidates presented to the Governor by the BOE Selection Advisory Council (Council).

     Your Committee has further amended this bill by:

     (1)  Requiring that all currently-serving BOE members be included in the lists of candidates to be presented to the Governor for the initial appointment of the members of BOE; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2571, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2571, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

ROY TAKUMI, Chair